Holder for journal-box lubricators.



No. 738,796. PATENTBD SEPT. 15, 1903.

- J. R. HARRISON.

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UNITE STATES .Tatented September 15, 190s.

JAMES R. HARRISON, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS-SIGNMENTS, TO BRUSH LUBRICATING SYSTEM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

HOLDER FOR JOURNAL-BOX LUBRICATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,796, datedSeptember 15, 1903.

Application filed October 24, 1899.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES R. HARRISON, of Racine, Racine county,Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements inLubricators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lubricating devices for journal-boxes, andparticularly to brush lubricators for use in car-axle boxes. A device ofthis class comprises a brush composed of bristles the free ends of whichengage or make contact with the under surface of the axle, capillaryattraction being depended upon to raise oil from the reservoir or thelower part of the axle-box. Such a brush-lubricator is illustrated inthe patent to Steele, No. 616,812, of December 27, 1898. The adoption ofthe Steele lubricator has been hindered by the cost of the fixture orholder for the brush and by reason of the difficulty and cost ofadapting such fixtures to the many and varying sizes of axle-boxes inevery-day use and also because it is difficult to insert the Steelebrush and holder beneath an axle.

I now propose and the object of this invention is to dispense with thecumbersome and expensive Steele fixture and holder in either of theforms illustrated in said patent and to replace the same by a cheap andlight open spring structure that will be capable of easy compressioninto small compass and which will therefore be easy to insert into orwithdraw from an axle-box and which will accommodate itself to thedimensions of said box regardless of its size or the roughness of itsinner wall.

It is not alone necessary to provide a rest or platform upon which toerect the lubricating-brush, but it is also necessary, particularly whenthe structure is light, to provide means for holding such structure downupon the bottom of the axle-box to prevent the tipping, tilting, ordisplacement of the brush and consequent improper or non lubrication;and a particular object of my invention is to provide a brush-holderwhich will be self-securing in the axle-box, to the end that auxiliaryfastenings, clamps, and clasps may be Another object of the invention isto pro- Serial No. 734,675. (No model.)

vide a brush holder or fixture which will not interfere with theflooding of the axle-box with oil and which will permit the easy cleaning of the box and of the lubricator-brush without being removed fromthe box.

My invention consists generally in the combination, with the axle andaxle-box, of an upright brush located beneath said axle to sweep andlubricate the same and which is held in place by a spring-wire structureor holder capable of compression and which when in the box expands andforcibly engages the bottom and sides of said box to hold the brush inproper position therein.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and inwhich Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an axle-box,showing my improved lubricating device arranged therein. Fig. 2 is atransverse section on the line a: a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the lubricating-brush and holder.

In the drawings, 2 represents an axle-box, 3 the axle, and 4 thebearing-brass arranged in the upper part of the box and having a curvedunder surface to fit over and rest upon the upper surface of the axle.Within the space beneath the axle, resting upon the bottom of the box,is an oil feeder or brush 5 of flexible bristles or hairs having theirfree upper ends in engagement with the surface of the axle and theirlower ends bound together within a suitable retaining clasp or clamp 6.The brush is preferably arranged directly beneath the axle, and thebristles are of such length that their free ends engage the undersurface of the axle and serve to spread the lubricant evenly thereon. Itis desirable that means he provided for retaining the brush in positionbeneath the center of the axle, and I therefore provide a compressiblespring frame or holder, preferably of steel or brass wire, having ahorizontal base portion 7 bent back and forth to form a series ofsubstantially \I-shaped bends or turns which lie in the same horizontalplane upon the bottom of the axle-box. To one of these bends or turns,preferably the middle, the retaining clamp or base of the brush issecured by solder or in any other suitable way. The end portions 8 arepreferably turned up wardly at right angles to the base portion and arebent into a similar series of bends or turns, terminating with the endsof the holder which bear against the under surface of the bearing-brassat. The holder may be easily placed in the box by passing a stringaround and compressing the bends su'fiticiently to per-- mit the deviceto be slipped into position, when the string may be removed, and thebends, being released, will spring out to their normal position andengage the sides and bottom of the box and the bottom of the brasshearing which constitutes the top of the box and will holdthelubricating-brush firmly and prevent it from tilting or tipping outof its proper position beneath the car-axle. A quantity of oil is thenpoured into the bottom of the box until the lower portion of the brushis submerged, and the oil coming in contact with the bristles will befed by capillary attraction to the top of the same and be depositedthereby upon the surface 'of the axle, thus at all times keeping thebearing well lubricated and preventing the annoyance and danger arisingfrom heated boxes.

I am aware that in various ways the holder or retaining device may bemodifedas, for instance, in respect to the shape and relativearrangement of the bends and the position of the brush thereon or themanner of securing the same thereto; but such changes I do not regard,however, as material or as a departure from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination with the axle-box and the axle ofthe lubricator-brush occupying a vertical position beneath said axle andthe holder whereon said brush is erected, said holder comprising threedistinct spring portions pressing respectively upon the sides and bottomof said box and secured therein by such pressure, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination with the axle-box and the axle of thelubricator-brush occupying a vertical position beneath said axle and thewire holder whereon said brush is erected and comprising three sets ofbends or turns of 1 wire occupying planes corresponding to the bottomand sides of said box and said bends pressing upon said bottom andsides, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described device, comprising the brush and thespring-holder whereto said brush is attached, said holder comprisingthree sets of wire bends or turns constituting a base and side-wallengaging portions, and said side-wall sets or portions being crimped atthe top, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the axle-box and the axle, of thelubricator-brush adapted to be held in a vertical position beneath saidaxle and the spring-holder for said brush, the said holder comprisingthree sets of bends or turns occupying three planes corresponding to thebottom and sides of said box and each set expansible in its respectiveplane, substantially as described.

5. The herein-described device, comprising the lubricator-brush and thespring-holder to which the butt or lower end of said brush is attached,said holder comprising three sets of bends or turns corresponding to thebottom and sides of the axle-box, and adapted, when inserted therein, topress respectively upon the bottom and sides of said box and to occupy agreater space when removed therefrom, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the journal-box and the axle with thelubricating-brush upright beneath the axle and the expansible-springbrush-holder arranged to expand into firm engagement with the sides andbottom of said box and holding the brush in place, substantially asdescribed.

7. The combination of the axle-box and the axle journaled therein withthe lubricatingbrush having its lower end in the oil-cellar of said box,the holder whereto said brush is fastened at its lower end and saidholder being compressible for easy insertion into said box andexpansible against the sides and bottom of the box to firmly holdthesaid brush in place with its free end in contact with the axle,substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of October,1899.

JAMES R. HARRISON.

IOO

